How to Grow a Positive Feedback Culture

People’s tendency to detect and remember negative experiences often creates a negative feedback culture in enterprises and organizations. Employees have grown to fear feedback, because it’s often given just once a year where it’s completely one-sided and viewed as criticism rather than an opportunity for growth.

The problem is not that organizations are delivering feedback. It’s that managers aren’t properly trained on the best techniques to do it (whether it’s positive or constructive), causing employees to dread annual reviews and performance conversations.

Why Feedback Earns a Bad Reputation

Feedback is critical to employee engagement. But a recent eBook from HighGround reveals that 37 percent of managers are uncomfortable giving direct feedback about their employee’s performance. Why? The feedback process is awkward for managers and frustrating for employees.

Embracing a Positive Feedback Culture

At HighGround, we believe feedback should be a voluntary dialogue. Instead of the standard top-down approach, managers and employees should have the freedom to solicit individual or group feedback in real time, creating a constant communication loop and open forum for discussion.

Enterprises that put stock into their feedback programs see the benefits it delivers to their organization:

Employees know how to receive (and deliver) feedback. The ability to receive and deliver constructive feedback is key in real-time performance management. Organizations that embrace feedback teach employees how to navigate feedback conversations, whether it’s with direct reports or their peers.

Employees seek out opportunities for feedback. Feedback cultures exist when organizations encourage multi-directional, open formats of communication. Employees should receive feedback not only from managers but from team members and other collaborators.

Feedback becomes a fluid part of company culture. When feedback is encouraged; is used as a method of learning; and is structured around goals, check-ins and recognition, employees are more likely to include elements of feedback more frequently – as opposed to having those conversations on an annual basis.

Feedback is more valuable when it’s delivered simply and in several formats. HighGround’s employee engagement platform allows managers and employees to solicit individual and group feedback in real time. Our solution offers an intuitive, step-by-step process for sharing and requesting feedback, ensuring consistency across teams.

There’s no reason to fear feedback. To learn more about developing and maintaining a positive feedback culture, download HighGround’s latest eBook, “Feedback is Not the Enemy.”